Photo: SB Medien
BMW is already working on the G30 5 Series, the upcoming model that will replace the F10 starting with 2017. While for some this may seem like just another new car from the Bavarians, that’s not exactly correct. The new 5 Series will be a turning stone for the way BMW has been making cars so far.
In a recent interview, the new BMW CEO, Harald Krueger said that the pattern manufacturers used up until now, with a 7-year hiatus between generations is not viable anymore. While some disregarded his statement, we listened closely and started wondering what he really meant.
The conclusion is rather simple: in the future, we’ll be seeing more and more tech being launched at shorter intervals of time. The first car that might break the 7-year rule could be the 5 Series we’re looking at here.
By the 7-year rule, we’re referring to the custom most manufacturers had of launching revolutionary technology along with their newest flagship. Since those were launched once every 7 years, the ‘lesser’ cars in the range used to wait for the tech to trickle down to them for this period of time.
However, time is the one luxury we don’t have and car makers are shortening these intervals as we speak. The new 7 Series, for example, was supposed to bring out a lot more tech than it did, but that didn’t happen and the reason for that might be because some of it will make its debut on the 5 Series.
The new G30 5er will follow in the footsteps of its bigger brother and will be lighter than ever, thanks to an abundant usage of CFRP, aluminum and magnesium. The weight loss is rumored to be around 130 kg. Even the exterior design will probably follow the lines of the 7 Series, with similar headlights and taillights but on a different scale. At least that’s what the new spyshots suggest.
The steering wheel is the clearest giveaway while the floating iDrive screen is not far behind. Chances are we’ll see a variation of the interior from the 7 Series on the new 5er, but that’s not yet set in stone.
According to one of our sources, there’s a heated debate going on in Munich right now regarding the direction in which the interior design of BMWs should go. While some claim that it’s time for a change, others, the more conservative ones, consider that things are just right as they are now and just evolutionary tweaks should be taken into consideration.
That being said, there was talk that once Krueger takes over, the new cars would have different interiors. People inside the company had hoped that the new 5 Series would be the first one to receive this treatment but according to the same source, chances of that happening are slim, at most, the new X3 apparently being eyed for such a drastic change (if it is to happen).
There has been talk about 1.5-liter 3-cylinder mills being used too, but that will only be possible if water injection will be added to the mix, to increase the power output, reliability, and torque. If the 218 HP version presented at Miramas will be offered, it won’t be a bad choice, especially considering the drop in weight.
However, chances are we’ll be seeing more plug-in hybrids too, 540e and 530e versions included, using the same layouts as the new 330e and X5 xDrive40e models.
On the diesel front, sources claim that a quad-turbocharged mill will replace the tri-turbo N57S one from the M550d xDrive model, with at least one of those turbos being electric. Power output should go over the 400 HP limit.
As for the G80 M5, we’ll have to wait a little longer to learn all the specifics. Chances are it will keep the 4.4-liter V8 but taken to at least 600 HP and around 800 Nm (569 lb-ft) of torque. Couple that with some weight loss and all-wheel drive (that will be optional) and you get a seriously faster model than the current F10.
The conclusion is rather simple: in the future, we’ll be seeing more and more tech being launched at shorter intervals of time. The first car that might break the 7-year rule could be the 5 Series we’re looking at here.
By the 7-year rule, we’re referring to the custom most manufacturers had of launching revolutionary technology along with their newest flagship. Since those were launched once every 7 years, the ‘lesser’ cars in the range used to wait for the tech to trickle down to them for this period of time.
However, time is the one luxury we don’t have and car makers are shortening these intervals as we speak. The new 7 Series, for example, was supposed to bring out a lot more tech than it did, but that didn’t happen and the reason for that might be because some of it will make its debut on the 5 Series.
The new G30 5er will follow in the footsteps of its bigger brother and will be lighter than ever, thanks to an abundant usage of CFRP, aluminum and magnesium. The weight loss is rumored to be around 130 kg. Even the exterior design will probably follow the lines of the 7 Series, with similar headlights and taillights but on a different scale. At least that’s what the new spyshots suggest.
Heated debate over the interior design
The adjacent photos also reveal the interior of the new car for the first time. Sure, this is an early pre-production prototype and nothing can be considered definitive at the moment but there’s no denying that everything in there has been taken from the new 7 Series.The steering wheel is the clearest giveaway while the floating iDrive screen is not far behind. Chances are we’ll see a variation of the interior from the 7 Series on the new 5er, but that’s not yet set in stone.
According to one of our sources, there’s a heated debate going on in Munich right now regarding the direction in which the interior design of BMWs should go. While some claim that it’s time for a change, others, the more conservative ones, consider that things are just right as they are now and just evolutionary tweaks should be taken into consideration.
That being said, there was talk that once Krueger takes over, the new cars would have different interiors. People inside the company had hoped that the new 5 Series would be the first one to receive this treatment but according to the same source, chances of that happening are slim, at most, the new X3 apparently being eyed for such a drastic change (if it is to happen).
Quad-turbocharged engines
As for the engines under the bonnet, the new 5 Series will get the entire line-up of the B-family plants. Units will vary from 2-liter 4-cylinder ones to 3-liter inline-6s.There has been talk about 1.5-liter 3-cylinder mills being used too, but that will only be possible if water injection will be added to the mix, to increase the power output, reliability, and torque. If the 218 HP version presented at Miramas will be offered, it won’t be a bad choice, especially considering the drop in weight.
However, chances are we’ll be seeing more plug-in hybrids too, 540e and 530e versions included, using the same layouts as the new 330e and X5 xDrive40e models.
On the diesel front, sources claim that a quad-turbocharged mill will replace the tri-turbo N57S one from the M550d xDrive model, with at least one of those turbos being electric. Power output should go over the 400 HP limit.
As for the G80 M5, we’ll have to wait a little longer to learn all the specifics. Chances are it will keep the 4.4-liter V8 but taken to at least 600 HP and around 800 Nm (569 lb-ft) of torque. Couple that with some weight loss and all-wheel drive (that will be optional) and you get a seriously faster model than the current F10.
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